Blood, blood components, plasma and plasma products

The Side Effects of Drugs Annuals forms a series of volumes in which the adverse effects of drugs and adverse reactions to them are surveyed. The series supplements the contents of Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs: the International Encyclopedia of Adverse Drug Reactions and Interactions. This review of the January 2012 to June 2013 publications on adverse reactions to blood, blood components, plasma and plasma products covers albumin, blood transfusion (erythrocytes and platelets), blood substitutes (haemoglobin-based oxygen carriers), plasma products (C1 esterase inhibitor concentrate and fresh frozen plasma), plasma substitutes (dextrans, etherified starches and gelatin), globulins (intravenous immunoglobulin, subcutaneous immunoglobulin and anti-D immunoglobulin), coagulation proteins (factor VIIa, factor VIII, factor IX, prothrombin complex concentrate and von Willebrand factor/factor VIII concentrates), erythropoietin and derivatives and stem cells. This includes blood products for which haemovigilance is in force, plasma products that must comply with pharmacovigilance regulations, substitute products and stem cells. Because blood and plasma products originate from human blood through blood donation, prevention of transmitted infections (by, for example, bacteria, viruses, protozoa and prions) form the use of blood, blood components, plasma and plasma-derived medicinal products is of paramount importance. Nowadays, the risk of transmission of the lipid-enveloped viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus by plasma-derived medicinal products is considered negligible.